You’ll Never Drink Clumpy Protein Again With These Shaker Bottles
- By Rebekah Harding
- May 21, 2024
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S
ince prioritizing a high-protein diet, I’ve tried all sorts of ways to get my macros just right. One tried and true method of getting enough of the muscle-building molecule without cooking: protein shakes.
As much as I love the convenience of protein shakes, my frustration with protein shaker bottles is never-ending. Some leave pockets of unmixed powder, subjecting me to unintentional dry scooping. Others are impossible to clean. And some just can’t seem to survive the trip to the gym without leaking every time I drive over a pothole. Plus, I’m extra cautious about chemicals like BPAs.
After years of searching, I’ve found the Goldilocks of shakers that’ll give you convenient, clump-free mixes—without much hassle after you finish.
Why You Should Trust Us
Hone Health is a team of health-obsessed journalists, editors, fitness junkies, medical reviewers, and product testers. Between me, an avid gym go-er and health writer who swears by a high-protein diet, and my partner, a hobbyist bodybuilder and certified personal trainer, tens of shaker bottles have been tried and tested in my home.
What to Look for in a Protein Shaker Bottle
Easy to clean
No one wants to spend minutes meticulously shaking, scrubbing, and detailing your shaker bottle with dish soap after you crushed a high-intensity arm day at the gym. Unfortunately, many shaker bottles are notoriously hard to clean.
When looking for a shaker bottle, we value a design without those tough-to-reach crevices that somehow always get caked with left-over protein powder or pre-workout—no matter how hard you scrub.
Free from toxins
Like any plastic bottle, some protein shakers run the risk of containing BPA—a chemical that has been linked to infertility, hormone disruption, and low sex drive (1, 2). (Which, frankly, produces the complete opposite result of why so many of us hit the gym.)
While gym go-ers—who avidly meal prep in Tupperware, chug protein out of shakers, and tote plastic water jugs—may be at a particularly high risk for exposure, this isn’t a niche problem. Around 93 percent of American adults have some BPA in their bodies right now, according to the National Institute of Environmental Health Science (1). Yeah, that’s bad.
Research suggests that your body eliminates BPA through urine within 24 hours of exposure, some evidence suggests that trace amounts could be stored in your fat and other tissues for longer (2).
When scouring the internet—or your local sporting goods store—for a protein shaker, keep your eyes peeled for certified BPA-free bottles to lower your exposure.
Clump-free blends
There are few things more disgusting than tipping back an aggressively oscillated protein shake at the gym, only to get a mouthful of viscous, unmixed protein sludge.
To guarantee silky shakes, protein bottles should have a blending apparatus—like a wire agitator or electric mixer—included in the design. However, some brands (like my personal favorite, the Helimix) have figured out how to achieve that without extra parts.
Below are our picks that fit all the parameters for a great shaker bottle.
The Best Protein Shaker Bottles on the Market
References
1. National Institutes of Health. Bisphenol A (BPA).
2. Hafezi, et al (2019). The Endocrine Disruptor Bisphenol A (BPA) Exerts a Wide Range of Effects in Carcinogenesis and Response to Therapy.
3. Tillett (2009). Bisphenol A, Chapter 2: New Data Shed Light on Exposure, Potential Bioaccumulation.
